How life has changed in Bexley

Bexley's population increased by about 13,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 230,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Bexley increased by 6.3%, from just over 218,000 to 232,000.

The addition of just under 14,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bexley was home to, on average, 27 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Bexley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bexley increased by two years, from 37 to 39 years.

This area had the third-highest average age in London and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 5,800 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 6,000.

About 15.0% of people in Bexley are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Bexley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bexley

Bexley saw London's largest rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) in Bexley reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.9% in 2001. The percentage who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.9% to 6.4%.

Across the region, Harrow saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 2.9% in 2001 to 3.7% in 2011).

During this period, Bexley overtook six local authority areas, including Greenwich and Waltham Forest, to become the London local authority area with the third-highest percentage of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bexley that rented privately increased from 6.4% to 11.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 13.5%, while the percentage of Bexley households that owned their home decreased from 78.4% to 72.5%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of London (from 15.3% in 2001 to 25.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Bexley increased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bexley, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Bexley saw London's second-largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.9%) people aged 16 and over in Bexley said they were married, compared with 53.0% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 28.6% to 33.8%.

Across the region, only Havering saw a greater fall in the proportion of married people (from 54.8% to 48.6%).

The proportion of married people was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bexley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.5% to 4.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70.3% in 2001. The percentage of Bexley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.2% to 12.5%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bexley decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bexley, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

Bexley saw London's largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.5%) in Bexley reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.9% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.0% to 1.3%.

Across the region, Bromley saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011).

During this period, Bexley overtook six local authority areas, including Greenwich and Havering, to become the London local authority area with the second-highest percentage of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bexley remained close to 2.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Bexley by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bexley

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Bexley was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.0 points.

In 2011, 26.0% of respondents in Bexley gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 16.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.3% to 22.7%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Bexley, 66.8% said they were Christian, compared with 79.2% in 2001. About 2.6% said they were Muslim, compared with 1.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 1.5% to 1.9%.

In Bexley, 7.0% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.9% in 2001. Across London, 8.5% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Bexley increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, London and Bexley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Bexley

In 2011, 8.5% of Bexley residents said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from 2.9% in 2001. The 5.6 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across London, the percentage of people from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 10.9% to 13.3%, while across England the percentage went from 2.4% to 3.6%.

Around 81.9% of people in Bexley said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 91.4% in 2001. About 6.6% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 4.1% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 1.3% to 2.3%.

The population from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups in Bexley increased by 5.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Bexley by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer homes without children

The percentage of households without children fell in Bexley at a faster rate than in Havering (one of the most statistically similar areas to Bexley based on ONS area classifications).

In Bexley, the proportion of households without children decreased from 57.6% in 2001 to 54.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Havering decreased from 57.9% to 56.8%.

Across London, the share of households without children decreased from 62.4% to 59.8%.

The proportion of households with children in Bexley increased from 31.2% to 33.1%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 11.2% to 12.4%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across London

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Bexley, which comprised a single parent, increased from 9.5% to 12.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in three (34.9%) households had a married couple, compared with 38.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bexley, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.2% to 9.1%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 11.1% in 2001 to 12.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Bexley increased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bexley, London and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Bexley working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12.6% to 9.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 13.2% in 2001 to 11.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Bexley decreased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bexley, London and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Bexley residents that were unemployed increased from 2.9% to 4.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (54.2%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55.9% in 2001. The percentage of Bexley residents that were self-employed increased from 8.5% to 9.9%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 4.4% in 2001 to 5.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Bexley increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Bexley, London and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

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